Airport entertains idea, briefly, of dumping TSA

Should San Diego International Airport dump the TSA and go with a private security firm, as Florida Republican Rep. John Mica is advocating?

Mica, the new head of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, wants to see the Transportation Security Administration get out of the security business. He’s sent letters to all U.S. airports urging them to replace the TSA.

On Thursday, the San Diego Regional Airport Authority board of directors got a preview of what that would mean from its own George Condon, director of aviation operations and public safety, and Bob Nowland, deputy federal security director for the local TSA office.

And it sounded like a lot more of the same, only with TSA oversight.

Basically airports must apply to the TSA for permission to enter a screening partnership program (SSP). If the TSA says, “yes, drop our service,” the federal agency then solicits firms to replace itself, negotiates the contract and manages the contract.

Any private screening firm must comply with TSA standards for training, equipment and search techniques, said Condon. Additionally, the private firm must give current TSA employees first shot at any jobs at comparable wages and benefits.

Is there a cost savings for the airport?

“Not really,” said Airport Authority president/CEO Thella F. Bowens.

Bowens says there is a “perception of an issue” over the TSA acting as both supervisor and service provider. “I don’t think there is one,” she said.

“It sounds like just adding another layer,” observed board member Paul Robinson.

“TSA is still the manager and doing the training but not supervising,” acknowledged TSA’s Nowland. “There is some duplication.”

Board chairman Robert H. Gleason said the presentation was strictly educational for the board. There is no move afoot, yet, to replace the TSA.